Mark Merolli

Associate Professor Mark Merolli serves in the Department of Physiotherapy, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne. A physiotherapist by training, he holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honours and a PhD, both from the University of Melbourne. He is recognized as a leading expert in digital allied health, serving as a Founding Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health (FAIDH) and Certified Health Informatician Australasia (CHIA). His academic career at the University of Melbourne includes roles as Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow in digital technologies.

Merolli's research specializations encompass digital health informatics, telehealth implementation in physiotherapy, social media applications for chronic disease management, and patient engagement through participatory health technologies. He investigates musculoskeletal pain management, knee osteoarthritis interventions, and digital literacy among health professionals and patients. Key publications include "Health outcomes and related effects of using social media in chronic disease management: a literature review and analysis of affordances" (Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 2013), "Ethical issues of social media usage in healthcare" (Yearbook of Medical Informatics, 2015), "A systematic review of types and efficacy of online interventions for cancer patients" (Patient Education and Counseling, 2015), "Patient education improves pain and function in people with knee osteoarthritis with better effects when combined with exercise therapy: a systematic review" (Journal of Physiotherapy, 2021), and "Recommendations of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) on education in biomedical and health informatics: second revision" (International Journal of Medical Informatics, 2023). His publications have garnered over 3,000 citations on Google Scholar. Merolli has delivered presentations such as at the WHO Europe Digital Health Webinar and contributes to developing entrustable professional activities for physiotherapists in digital health competency. He is affiliated with the Centre for Health, Exercise, and Sports Medicine.

Professional Email: merollim@unimelb.edu.au